Monday 16 January

Brian Blessed fronts Canal & River Trust volunteer appeal

The forthcoming Canal & River Trust launched its appeal today for volunteer lock keepers around the waterways network as it takes over from British Waterways this year. And to get the message across, they brought out Brian Blessed, larger-than-life actor, adventurer and 'commanding presence', for a photocall at Aldermaston Lock on the Kennet & Avon Canal.

If the waterways ever needed a 'town crier', few would be better suited to the role than Blessed, who is lending his own image to the campaign for free. The Trust estimates that one-fifth of Britons use the waterways each year, and wants people to volunteer as lock keepers to ensure a polite and friendly welcome to all waterway visitors – and particularly in assisting novice boaters through the locks and helping to maintain local stretches of waterway.

The volunteer scheme was started last year along the Grand Union and Kennet & Avon canals and the River Trent. It is now being rolled out across the rest of the network, particularly at prominent locations such as Bingley Five Rise (Leeds & Liverpool Canal), Tuel Lane - the deepest lock in the country (Rochdale Canal), and the Hertford Union. This latter location will briefly become the most important and visited on the waterways this summer, as it borders the Olympic Games site.

Brian Blessed said that the UK waterways helped to create his love of the outdoors and wildlife: "When I was a child I loved our canals and rivers, going off exploring on my bike and looking for wildlife. They’re unique places so I would urge people with a real passion for their local waterway to get involved as a volunteer lock keeper or take advantage of one of the many opportunities to support the Canal & River Trust.

"[The waterways] meant so much to me as a child so I think it’s important we all do what we can to help protect them for our next generations to enjoy."

The outgoing British Waterways said that in the year ending March 2011 volunteers contributed more than 24,000 days, and in the lock keeper trials last summer, over 50 people successfully became volunteer lock keepers.

"Being a lock keeper is arguably the most symbolic job on the waterways", said Ed Moss, national volunteering manager for British Waterways and the forthcoming Trust. "It will be a perfect opportunity for those who enjoy working in the outdoors and are perhaps looking for something different to do and help support the Canal & River Trust in what will be its first year."

"The key qualities we’re looking for are enthusiasm and a willingness to learn. Whether it’s helping a boat through the lock, talking to customers, litter picking or vegetation work, it can really make a great difference."

Volunteering will be essential to the success of the Canal & River Trust, which will immediately become one of the biggest charities in the UK. It will also give local communities a bigger say in the running of their local canal or river.

A full list of volunteer lock keeping locations are available at www.waterscape.com/things-to-do/volunteering or by emailing volunteer@britishwaterways.co.uk or phoning 01827 252097. Willing volunteers can start quickly and no prior experience is necessary as a full induction, training and a uniform will be provided.

Today's news from the web

Hundreds of nomadic boaters who call the waterways close to the main Olympic sites home are effectively being evicted for nearly 10 weeks over the summer. Under new rules, they will be barred from mooring their boats in Olympic control zones on 15 miles of the River Lea and Regent's Canal unless they are willing to pay hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds to British Waterways to secure a spot for the 10 weeks – something most boaters are simply unable to do. Click here to see the graphic of the canal. This has led to fresh tensions between the boating communities and British Waterways (BW), whisking-up a bubbling cauldron of animosity that frankly did not need much more than a stir. ...

Saturday 14 January

Cam boaters' anger over 'ridiculous' licence charges

The Cam Conservancy has announced major changes in boat licence conditions – along with large increases of up to 21.5% in annual licence fees.

Local boaters have reacted furiously to the news, said Camboaters representative Amy Tillson. “We will be approaching the local MP, Julian Huppert, and to central Government if necessary. Unlike the new Canal & River Trust or the Environment Agency, the Conservancy is a Parliamentary body accountable only to central Government.

“We will also be investigating the possibility of getting the Cam Conservators amalgamated in the Canals and Rivers Trust in 2015 when the EA may be also incorporated.”

“Currently, boaters can use the Cam Con waters if they buy an EA licence, under an 'Interchange Agreement'. Most boats choose to do this, except for the 25% who buy a Cam only licence from the Cam Conservancy.

“However, from 2012, the Interchange Agreement is changing dramatically. For boats who moor on the Cam, buying an EA licence will no longer be an option. All boats moored on the Cam will have to buy a CamCon-EA licence which will be 110% of the relevant EA licence for their length, effectively 17% more than a current EA licence because of the EA's 6.4% (CPI+2%) fee increase this year. This means that for the 25% of boats who currently have a Cam-Con licence, their fees will effectively increase by an extraordinary 21.5%.”

Boaters on EA waters will thus have the option of:

1) An EA licence which does not allow access to the Cam,

2) An EA-Cam licence, at 110% of the relevant EA licence for their boat length,

3) A visitor licence at 15% of the relevant EA licence,

However, a boat caught on the Cam without a licence will be obliged to pay for a visitor licence at a punitive 25% of the relevant EA licence.

Boats with the universal EA/BW ‘Gold’ licence will have to opt for an additional visitor licence for the Cam, as the Gold licence will no longer cover Cam Con waters. However, the Conservators are discussing 'trade plates' which will allow visiting boats to come to the Cam for services such as slippage and repair work.

Rumours grow about delay in transfer to Trust status

In the absence of definite news, speculation is growing that the launch of the new Canal & River Trust might be delayed past its original launch date of 1st April. The transition trustees are continuing to negotiate with Defra, particularly over the issue of government funding for the next decade. It is said that trustees are arguing firmly that an annual grant of £39million is insufficient to give the Trust the ‘flying start’ it desperately needs.

BW and Defra are refusing to comment publicly. However, sources close to negotiations believe that a final agreement is ‘very close’, likely before the end of January. Once agreed, the transfer needs to be approved by Parliament and the Welsh Assembly, but any delay in negotiations will put pressure on the parliamentary timetable. Conceivably this could delay approval for months, although both BW and Defra consider it unlikely.

Rumours on some websites that ‘selected journalists’ were privately briefed on the delay seem wide of the mark. Indeed, the transition trustees released a public report on the negotiations last month. It pointed out:

“While the Parliamentary process looks as if it will now take longer than we had previously been advised, putting pressure on an April launch date, all the building blocks needed to establish the new Trust next year are falling into place … it is all taking place much longer than either party would wish.”

However, even if there is no delay in the move to Trust status on 1st April, the public launch could be delayed until mid-June, to ensure it does not clash with the planned Diamond Jubilee festivities over the Whitsun bank holiday or the Olympics the following month.

WW understands that should there be any delay in Trust status, it will also include the transfer of the Scottish waterways to Scottish government control.

Friday 13 January

Today's news from the web

Regarding the letter about litter on the waterways (Banbury Guardian, December 29). If Mr Hunt has any luck with British Waterways I would like to know how he did it. I am in dispute with British Waterways (BW) over the condition of the towpath. I live on my boat and pay all that is required by me to BW. If you complain they have one stock answer, ‘no money’. I said I would withhold one month’s mooring fee to purchase gravel to put on the towpath to stop people falling over on the mud due to the poor condition of the path....

Boaters in Cambridge are opposing steep new charges approved by the Conservators of the River Cam yesterday, include new charges to boat users in Cambridge, as well as raised licence fees for those who live on the river. Anyone taking part in a competition on the river will have to pay 10p for each event and visitors who arrive by boat will have to pay £60 for a licence, even if just passing through....

Thursday 12 January

Today's news from the web

An outline design for a new footbridge in the centre of a Lincolnshire town has been selected. Three ideas were put forward by the county council for the £600,000 crossing at the River Witham in Boston. In a public consultation the high bowstring design beat competition from a lower arch and a more traditional concept. It will replace the current St Botolph's Bridge which engineers have said has structural problems....

Wednesday 11 January

Crinan Canal improvements

Scotland's busiest inland waterway, the nine-mile Crinan Canal, is expected to see continued growth in 2012, helped by two new developments.

The newly separate British Waterways Scotland will now offer assisted lock operation for boats with only one or two people on board, while the new Crinan facilities building will be opening this summer as part of the European INTERREG IVA Sail West Programme, which jointly funded construction.

Almost 2,000 transits were made in 2011, but the canal is still a long way from maximum capacity. The improvements are partly intended to encourage boaters to linger on the waterway and explore the area, instead of treating it as a simple transit to avoid the 85 mile coastal passage around the Mull of Kintyre. A transit licence is valid for four days, and BW Scotland says that the canal has much to offer as a tourist destination.

GU Tring summit closed

With water levels in the south-east at an all-time winter low, BW is taking the unprecedented step of stopping the Tring summit level of the Grand Union Canal for the rest of the winter season, and allowing the water level to drop by around 12 inches to conserve water supplies.

The stop planks are going in at Northmoor Top Lock (No. 49, near Berkhamsted) and at Marsworth Bottom Lock (No. 39, near Marsworth Junction) – will allow the water level to be lowered to below the upper section of the canal bank, which BW says is the section most prone to leaks. However, BW says this reduced level will not allow boats to safely moor or navigate and have given a week's notice to allow boats to escape the stoppage. The Aylesbury Arm is also being closed.

BW says 2011 was the driest year for the south east since records began, and in some parts the groundwater tables and reservoir holdings are still much lower than normal winter levels.

Jeff Whyatt, senior waterway manager, said: “The top part of the canal bank is often most susceptible to leaks due to the fact that it is continually wetted and dried and it is also subject to holes or cracks formed by burrowing animals and ‘wash’ from passing boats. By taking this action now, we hope to be better able to conserve water and be less reliant on our groundwater pumps which can then be used later in the year”.

“Despite recent storms, groundwater levels remain lower than normal for this time of year which, in turn, means that reservoirs in the Tring area are refilling slower than would normally be expected. This is placing increasing pressure on the reservoirs which are still required at this time of year to maintain the canal at a normal operational level.

BW anticipate the closure remaining until the start of the summer hours in March, but will be reviewing it weekly.

Tuesday 10 January

Thames toll bridge work postponed

Repairs to the private Whitchurch toll bridge near Pangbourne have been postponed for a year. The £3.8million project was originally scheduled to start later this year, but it has now been delayed until the autumn of next year and will not be completed until April 2014.

The Whitchurch Bridge Company blamed objections by English Heritage and the need to keep the bridge open to navigation for the whole summer season.

The company submitted applications to South Oxfordshire District Council and West Berkshire Council in May but only obtained permission in December.

A spokesman for the bridge company said: "The Environment Agency has told us it wants the bridge open to boat traffic for the whole of the summer this year. We are also disappointed with the response from English Heritage, which we don’t think has properly understood the engineering evidence about the condition of the bridge."

The company says it will inspect the 100 year old bridge frequently in the meantime, and describes it as “in poor condition structurally”.

Monday 9 January

Rolle Canal benefits from £40,000 lottery money

The historic Rolle Canal will be one of three areas to benefit from a £40,000 Heritage Lottery Grant on North Devon's scenic Tarka Trail.

The grant will enable work to highlight the cultural heritage of Fremington Quay, Home Farm Marsh and the remains of the Rolle Canal. A viewing platform will be built between Land Cross and Torrington to help tell the story of the Rolle Canal before the railway. Users will be able to see the sea-lock of the canal at Landcross, and a walking path will be constructed at Furzebeam.

Minister calls for more money for Caledonian Canal crossing

UK Treasury minister Danny Alexander has called on the Scottish government to ensure that the proposed crossing of the Caledonian Canal by the new Inverness bypass is properly funded, so that it does not affect navigation.

Alexander, as the local MP, said that enough money should be found so that the 'best option' could be chosen for boaters as well as road users.

Highland Council is currently consulting on eight possible solutions for a crossing. They include building a second swing bridge over the canal close to the existing swing bridge at Tomnahurich, which causes long road tailbacks at peak times whenever a boat passes through. The second swing bridge would allow traffic to continue to flow, but present an extra barrier to boaters.

After this, and other cheaper options, were criticised the council suggested either a high-level bridge spanning both the canal and the River Ness, or and an aqueduct and tunnel. Both options would be much more expensive but less obstructive to boats. However, the council said they are unaffordable.

Shobnall Boat Services ceases trading

We learned this morning that Shobnall Boat Services, the chandlery based in WW's home town of Burton-on-Trent, has ceased trading.

Owner Andy Garside said: "We have fallen victim to this terrible recession and have seen a marked down-turn in business over the last two years, coupled with increased competition. We were fortunately only 1 - 2 days away from completing work on a repaint of the only boat we had in our workshop at the time, and through the tremendous support of our staff (now unpaid) and a tremendously generous offer from Robert Neff at Mercia Marina of the use of his dry dock for a couple of days, we have been able to completely finish the work to the customer's total satisfaction."

The site is owned by the long-established Jannel Cruisers (01283 540006/07837 546032), who operate the moorings at Shobnall Basin - which are not affected. They hope to be able to reopen the dry-dock, gas and sales in the next few weeks. Shobnall's surveyor Iain Jones is continuing to work on a self-employed basis (07860 119476).

While most of the points will be familiar to non-Thames users, a few are specific to the unique Thames culture, such as 'DO turn of your engine when in locks', and 'DON'T leave large spaces at mooring sites. Be prepared to move to make better use of space when other boats arrive or leave.'

Neighbours who originally welcomed a green hydro-electricity scheme are now complaining it is driving them round the twist. The residents living near Osney Mill – which is being re-developed to house 10 flats – thought the Archimedes screw was a good idea to generate electricity from the flow of the neighbouring River Thames. But now they say they can’t stand the noise from the hydroelectric generator, which became active just before Christmas....

The first glimpse of a giant tapestry made by children from more than 200 schools along the River Thames has been unveiled at Oxford's Ashmolean Museum. A 3m (9.8ft) by 14m (46ft) portion of the artwork was shown in which 84 of the schools have each contributed a 1m (3.3ft) square canvas. The Thames Heritage Tapestry project will be completed in time for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, by which time it will be 84m (275ft) long....

An explicit coin used to pay for pleasure has been found in the Thames mud at Putney. The girl would have handed over the token to the brothel keeper — possibly a freed slave, a Roman or an enterprising Briton. Somehow it ended up in the mud of the Thames where, 2,000 years later, it has recently been found by amateur archaeologist Regis Cursan with a metal detector. He has donated it to the Museum of London, where it will now be on display for three months. ...

It's a major milestone for the Canal, with the basin years in the planning, after construction started last March. Throughout the process there have been excited local people standing on bridges admiring the works and now the finished basin is already attracting lots of positive interest from walkers and cyclists as well as canal lovers....

A £7,000 appeal has been launched in Stourport by local news paper the Kidderminster Shuttle to restore historic narrowboat Bramble, based at Stourport Canal Basins. The appeal will finance much-needed mechanical and electrical work, furnish new cloth covers and fenders, repaint the boat and install a new prop shaft. The volunteers also intend to furnish the interior with historical replica items. A Fellows, Morton & Clayton motor dating from 1934, Bramble was donated by British Waterways to local group Stourport Forward, who plan to use it for education and boat trips. ...

Work has begun on the first new road bridge over the River Thames in nearly 20 years. The £32m crossing between Walton-on-Thames and Shepperton is expected to be completed in the summer of 2013, and will replace two long-serving temporary bridges. ...